Classic reading of a paperback book remains the best way to read. The expansion of online reading has consumed the ways of reading, but that does not mean it takes over as the most enjoyable way to read. Books exist as a relief from the internet, an activity not in the online world. The book community loves the original feel and smell of reading a paperback book. It does not strain eyes, and can be a nice thing to do when trying to relax. Tangible books maintain a good way to unwind from technology, releasing stress, and can benefit sleep.

Regular books improve levels of focus, further helping people retain the information read better and remember information more accurately. Reading on a screen can make the reader distracted more easily because the online device accesses other things than just the book. This applies to study methods and when reading important material.

“Regular reading is much simpler than virtual reading. With virtual reading, there can be pop-ups, advertisements, and all sorts of other things that get in the way. Regular reading doesn’t have any of that. Books only have words, and sometimes pictures. There are no videos, advertisements, or other things that can distract you from the actual text itself. If you read on a device, there can be things like notifications that completely take your attention away from what you’re doing,” freshman Nicolas Fusaro said.

The feeling of walking into a library to find the perfect book remains a feeling many readers enjoy. Physical libraries would become nothing if the whole world changed to using online books. Paperback books become memories after reading, because of the feeling of a completed journey. To always find a way to go back and look at the book in full detail, numerous readers annotate its pages.

Skimming through an online book without truly reading it does not mean anything. Paperback books are meant for a slower read to understand the storytelling, which remains ultimately more enjoyable for the reader. Instead of being distracted by notifications and links, paperback reading takes patience and becomes more well-understood.

“I find regular reading to be more fun because when I read on my phone, it makes me feel more guilty for being on my phone instead of doing something productive. When I read an actual book, I don’t feel guilty because it feels like I’m actually doing something productive. Regular reading also feels more calming to me because when I read virtual, it feels like I’m just super busy trying to rush the reading but when I’m reading a book, it just feels like I’m making use of my free time,” freshman Caleb Hall said.

Noticeable progress when reading a paperback book helps someone physically see how far they are in the book and how much they read. This creates a sense of self-accomplishment. If one sees a physical book constantly, it becomes a reminder to read it, rather than a hidden book on a put away app inside a device. 

In situations like power outages, one can no longer read an e-book. Paperback books can be taken anywhere and read at any time, permanently saving progress. Although ebooks sometimes prove more cost-friendly and can travel easier, they do not have the same feel as a normal book. Physical books provide more of the storytelling experience, and the price reflects that. 

The ease in creating an emotional connection to a book because of what was gone through when reading it and all the places it traveled makes up an important part of reading. Rather than just staring at a screen, connecting to an object brings memories without just a picture of it. 

“When I’m reading a book, the only thing that separates me from the book world is a few sheets of paper, which makes it easier to imagine the story with much more vibrant details. On the other hand, when I read on my phone, the screen already makes me feel like there is a barrier from the book world, and the brightness of the screen makes it so that I can’t really imagine how vibrant the book’s story is as if I were to have read a book,” Hall said.